Daniel Kaluuya has become a highly sought after actor in Hollywood thanks to performances in movies such as Get Out and Black Panther. During a recent appearance in London, U.K., the actor spoke about how his meeting with his MCU co-star Chadwick Boseman became one of the “pivotal moments” in his career, and in his life.
Kaluuya, who earned an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah, appeared at the BFI London Film Festival, where he was asked about his relationship with Boseman, the incredible actor who passed away in 2020 after a long battle with cancer. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Kaluuya described his experience when they met:
”
Meeting Chad was a pivotal moment in my life
. I remember we had a dinner, and I sat opposite him. He could see my life was changing, and I didn’t know. He leaned in — and I was about to go on a press run, and I didn’t have a publicist. He leaned in and saw I needed help and guidance, and I didn’t have to ask. And I didn’t know how to ask.”
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Kaluuya and Boseman co-starred in the MCU film Black Panther, as W’Kabi and T’Challa, respectively. In the film, W’Kabi betrays T’Challa and supports the usurper Killmonger. Since then, Kaluuya has found his way into the Hollywood spotlight with an Oscar win and starring in Jordan Peele’s sci-fi horror film Nope. However, Kaluuya affectionately remembers Boseman taking him under his wing:
“He big bro-ed me, he helped me out. Then
Get Out
came out, and he did a speech on my birthday, it was so poignant. He was an incredible leader on set, and I really felt for him because doing those Marvel things, that’s work. That’s hard. Especially doing the action sequences in those suits in hot weather, it’s hard on the body… Knowing that he did that while he was going through what he was going through, I don’t really have the words for it.He just gave everything, he led in a very noble way. He always brought people together
… He always had time for everyone. Him and Lupita [Nyong’o], they were always back and forth, and they just knew that my life was changing.”
Daniel Kaluuya Recognizes Benicio del Toro as His Biggest Influence
During a screen talk session with Ashley Walters (known for his roles in Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and Bullet Boy) at the festival, Kaluuya spoke about working alongside Benicio del Toro in the action thriller Sicario. While Kaluuya’s career started way before Denis Villeneuve’s film, he says the Puerto Rican actor is his biggest influence.
He highlighted del Toro’s nonverbal but riveting presence in the film and said his experience with the actor changed his approach to acting forever. Per Deadline’s report of the event: “At that time I always wanted more lines but I saw this guy and he was just cutting lines. He’d always say ‘I can show you that instead.’ I was just so in awe of what he did.”
Kaluuya is next slated to reprise his voice role as Hobart “Hobie” Brown / Spider-Punk in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, which is still to receive a release date from Sony.
- Release Date
- February 13, 2018